About the Artist
Justin DeMattico (b.1998, United States) is currently an adjunct professor at Brookdale Community College. He earned his M.F.A. at Savannah College of Art and Design degree in painting in 2022. He graduated in 2020 with a B.A. in studio art major from Monmouth University. Drawing inspiration from his deep-rooted faith, DeMattico is fascinated with religion, symbolism, and the world around us. His work is a reflection of his spiritual journey. His unique blend of portraiture, Christian themes, and symbolism sets him apart as an artist who fearlessly explores the depths of human existence.
Artist Statement
In my artistic voyage, anchored by my Christian faith, I delve into the intricate tapestry of individual
development, the complexities of judgment, and the ceaseless quest for acceptance, with a particular
emphasis on the male human form. My work serves as a testament to the Christian understanding of our
fallen world and the yearning for heavenly redemption while celebrating the beauty and grace of the male
form.
Through the transformative medium of portraiture and symbolism, I explore the entirety of the human
experience. I seek to bridge the chasm between the inner darkness within us and the eternal yearning for empathy and community, guided by the teachings of Christ.
In this sacred journey, I transcend the confines of our sin-stained world to conjure alternate realms, mirroring the paradise and the heaven promised by the Christian faith, and celebrating the male human form as a divine creation. These painted domains, infused with divine radiance, beckon us toward the promise of salvation and the embrace of God's boundless grace.
Within these celestial landscapes, judgment and prejudice dissipate like morning mist, and all are embraced as children of God. My art serves as a beacon of hope, a testament to the Christian message of redemption, and an invitation to contemplate the beauty and grace of the male human form as we strive toward the ultimate destination of our Christian hope – heaven.
Through my art, I aspire to convey the Christian message of redemption and the longing for heaven, inviting viewers to meditate on the divine promise of a world free from sin, where acceptance and eternal joy know no bounds.
CV
JUSTIN DEMATTICO
EDUCATION:
2020-2022 M.F.A. in Painting, Savannah College of Art and Design, Savannah, GA
2016-2020 B.A. in Fine Arts/Minor in Psychology, Monmouth University, West Long Branch, NJ
2012-2016 Digital Filmmaking, East Brunswick Vo-Tech, Digital Film Department, East Brunswick, NJ
TEACHING EXPERIENCE:
2022-Present Adjunct Professor, Brookdale Community College, Lincroft, NJ
Teaching Drawing 1, Drawing 2, Figure Drawing and Color Theory. Recipient of 28th Annual Outstanding Adjunct Faculty Award, Revising Color Theory program
curriculum to incorporate addition of digital media through Adobe Photoshop. Oversaw students’ self-directed projects, encouraging students’ technical expertise,
aesthetic understanding, and professional development.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:
2022 Teaching Assistant, Kimberly Callas, Monmouth University, West Long Branch, NJ
Teaching Assistant, Joy Flynn, Savannah College of Art and Design, SCADnow
2020 Intern, Kimberly Callas, Discovering the Ecological Self, Monmouth University, West Long Branch, NJ
2019 Intern, Stephen McMillion, Red Bank Frameworks, Red Bank, NJ
Intern, Kimberly Callas, Discovering the Ecological Self, Monmouth University, West Long Branch, NJ
2014-2016 Lab Assistant, Instructor: Louis Libitz, Digital Filmmaking, East Brunswick Vo-Tech, East Brunswick, NJ
2014-2016 Teaching Assistant, Instructor: Louis Libitz, Digital Filmmaking,East Brunswick Vo-Tech, East Brunswick, NJ
AWARDS
2025 28th Annual Outstanding Adjunct Faculty Award, Brookdale Community College, Lincroft, NJ
Bronze Medal, Guild of Creative Art, Shrewsbury, NJ
2023 Bronze Medal, Guild of Creative Art, Shrewsbury, NJ
2022 Mitchell Award for Acrylic Painting, Guild of Creative Art, Shrewsbury, NJ
2019-2020 McKenzie / VanEverdingen Endowed Scholarship, Monmouth University, West Long Branch, NJ
2018-2019 McKenzie / VanEverdingen Endowed Scholarship, Monmouth University, West Long Branch, NJ
2015 The American Dream, Second Place, New Jersey Young Filmmakers, Thomas Edison National Historical Park Museum, West Orange, NJ
I Love Patty, Honorable Mention, New Jersey Young Filmmakers, Thomas Edison National Historical Park Museum, West Orange, NJ
2014 Books Where Your Journey Begins, Best PSA, East Brunswick Vo-Tech, East Brunswick, NJ
SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS:
2025 The Secret Gardens of My Mind, ChaShaMa, Matawan, NJ
2024 Divine Reflections: Navigating Faith and Beauty through Art, ChaShaMa, Matawan, NJ
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS/SCREENINGS:
2025 Seen and Unseen, Monmouth Arts, Monmouth University's Pollak Gallery, West Long Branch, NJ
33rd October Juried Show 2025, Guild of Creative Art, Shrewsbury, NJ
Through The Lens, Monmouth Museum, Lincroft NJ
Echoes of Eden, Gallery Lucida, Red Bank, NJ
+1, ChaShaMa, Matawan, NJ
45th Annual Juried Art Exhibition, Monmouth Museum, Lincroft NJ
2024 32nd October Juried Show 2024, Guild of Creative Art, Shrewsbury, NJ
44th Annual Juried Art Exhibition, Monmouth Museum, Lincroft NJ
Alchemy, Brookdale Community College’s Wellness Center, Lincroft, NJ
2023 His Only Son Gallery Event, Angel Studios, Provo, UT
Reinvention, Monmouth Arts, Long Branch Cultural Arts Center, Long Branch, NJ
31st October Juried Show 2023, Guild of Creative Art, Shrewsbury, NJ
43rd Annual Juried Art Exhibition, Monmouth Museum, Lincroft NJ
2023 – Botanical, Las Laguna Art Gallery, Online, Laguna Beach, CA
2022 Hello Tomorrow, HMVC Gallery, Online, New York, NY
Belonging, Monmouth Arts, Brookdale Community College’s CVA Gallery, Lincroft, NJ
30th October Juried Show 2022, Guild of Creative Art, Shrewsbury, NJ
Kingdom Animalia - 2022, Gallerium Art Exhibitions, Online, Toronto, Canada
Emotions- 2022, Gallerium Art Exhibitions, Online, Toronto, Canada
Flowers 4 Peace & Prosperity, Red Bluff Art Gallery 3-D Virtual Exhibit, Red Bluff, CA
Two Person Exhibition, Other-Worldly/Strange Beauty, ChaShaMa Matawan, Matawan, NJ
2021 Members’ Holiday Show, Guild of Creative Art, Shrewsbury, NJ
Journey, Monmouth Arts, Monmouth University's Pollak Gallery, West Long Branch, NJ
SCAD Open Studio, Savannah College of Art and Design, Savannah, GA
2020 Senior Show – An Online Exhibit, Monmouth University, West Long Branch, NJ
2019 Annual Student Exhibition, Monmouth University, West Long Branch, NJ
2018 Annual Student Exhibition, Monmouth University, West Long Branch, NJ
2017 Annual Student Exhibition, Monmouth University, West Long Branch, NJ
2016 2nd REEL Film Festival, East Brunswick Vo-Tech, East Brunswick, NJ
2015 41st Annual New Jersey Young Filmmakers, AMC Dine-In Theatre, West Orange, NJ
41st Annual New Jersey Young Filmmakers, Centenary College, Hackettstown, NJ
41st Annual New Jersey Young Filmmakers, Thomas Edison National Historical Park, West Orange, NJ
1st REEL Film Festival, East Brunswick Vo-Tech, East Brunswick, NJ
2014 3rd Annual New Works Film Festival, East Brunswick Vo-Tech, East Brunswick, NJ
2013 2nd Annual New Works Film Festival, East Brunswick Vo-Tech, East Brunswick, NJ
PROFESSIONAL FILM WORK EXPERIENCE:
2016 Director/Screenwriter/Cinematographer/Editor, “2nd REEL Film Festival Trailer,” Video by Justin DeMattico, Rokaia Safri, and Skye Waters
2015 Sound, “Saving Grace,” Video by Sarah Beim
Director/Screenwriter/Editor, “1st REEL Film Festival Trailer,” Video by Justin DeMattico, Rae Ann McMahon, Skye Waters, and Rokaia Safri
Editor, “The American Dream,” Video by Deanna Rivera and Rae Ann McMahon
2014 Sound/Editor, “I Love Patty,” Video by Justin DeMattico, Diana Torres, Sierra Musselman, Claudia Martinez, Matteos Cabrera and Molly Fade
Editor, “3rd Annual New Works Film Festival Trailer,” Video by Rokaia Safri, Rae Ann McMahon, and Justin DeMattico
Cinematographer, “Books Where Your Journey Begins,” Video by Sarah Beim and Justin DeMattico
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
Stephanie Hernandez, “Meet Justin DeMattico of Bethpage, TN.” NashvilleVoyager, September 30, 2022. https://nashvillevoyager.com/interview/meet-justin-demattico-of-bethpage-tn/
“Page 99 - I Dream of Forests.” Artistonish. Discover the Artist, May 30, 2022.
https://www.artistonish.com/may2022.
LECTURES/WORKSHOPS:
2025 Artist Talk, Chashama, Matawan, NJ
2024 Artist Talk, Chashama, Matawan, NJ
2022 Artist Talk, Monmouth Arts, Brookdale Community College’s CVA Gallery, Lincroft, NJ
CURATORIAL PROJECTS:
2025 The Secret Gardens of My Mind, ChaShaMa Matawan, Matawan, NJ
2024 Divine Reflections: Navigating Faith and Beauty through Art, ChaShaMa Matawan, Matawan, NJ
2023 Vocabularies of Line, co-curated with Elisa Elorza and Amy Farris, Brookdale Community College’s CVA Gallery, Lincroft, NJ
2022 Other-Worldly/Strange Beauty, co-curated with Laura Powell, ChaShaMa Matawan, Matawan, NJ
HONOR SOCIETIES:
2019-Present Psi Chi, Monmouth University Chapter, Monmouth University, West Long Branch, NJ
PROFESSIONAL AFFILATIONS:
2025 – Present Member of Professional Artist Association
2024 – Present Member of Tom of Finland Foundation
2021 – Present Member of the Guild of Creative Art
2020 – Present Member of Monmouth Arts
CAREER SKILLS:
• Curriculum development
• Classroom organization
• Student advising
• Freelance client consultation experience
• Highly Proficient in framing and archiving physical media
TECHNICAL SKILLS:
Software Zoom, Final Cut Pro, iMovie, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Lightroom, Adobe XD, Adobe InDesign, Microsoft Office (Word, PowerPoint, Excel) GarageBand,
iTunes, Celtx, QuickTime Player.
Equipment Godox AD400, Green Screen, Canon m50 mark ii, T6i, T3i, T2i, 5D, 60D, 70D, Lowel Rifa, Softbox Studio Lights, Zoom (H4N and H5), Boom, Rode Shotgun Microphone, Lavalier,
Manfrotto Tripods/Monopod, Blue Microphones, Samson Meter Microphone, Apple Mac Desktops and Laptops
Social Media Facebook, Twitter/X, Instagram, Zoom, Tik Tok, Wordpress, Pinterest, Tumblr, YouTube, Weebly, Edmodo, Wix, SquareSpace
